Sonic Chronicles
by Shadow of Hearts
Summary: A collection of stories looking at the Sonic Universe through different realities and outcomes. Some of the stories are connected to others. R&R. Warning: Stories may extend beyond listed genres.
1. Martyrdom

Sonic Chronicles: Martyrdom

'_Sonic, you can't go!'_

'_I have to. If I don't go…'_

'_If you do, you'll…'_

The conversation just moments before echoed in Sonic's mind. He knew that conversation would be his last he would have with his friend.

The seven Chaos Emeralds were gathered and ready for use. The emeralds were being placed in a circle surrounding a battered and torn blue hedgehog. It took most of his strength to be able to stand in the circle. Tails, Amy, and Knuckles placed the emeralds around Sonic. Not one eye was dry after preparing the emeralds.

Tails tried to fight back tears to no avail. Amy allowed her tears to flow freely as she was sniffling. Knuckles, lastly, kept back most of his tears with a few falling down his cheeks. Sonic could only allow his tears to fall at the sight.

The emeralds began to glow and rise around Sonic. Before long, they began to spin around him getting faster with every rotation until they became a ring of light that enveloped Sonic. Sonic winced in pain as he felt the power of Chaos flow inside of him. His blue fur became yellow and his eyes changed to red; Sonic had become Super Sonic. The emeralds, soon after, fell to the ground around Sonic.

Sonic turned to his friends one last time. He let out a weak smile and a thumbs-up before blasting off to face Eggman at the Space Colony Ark. His friends watched as the yellow light vanished into the twilight sky.

Sonic flew into the cold abyss that was space. Frost gathered slowly onto his fur. Ahead, he was greeted by Eggman's army. They numbered well in the thousands if not tens of thousands all waiting for Sonic.

"Ah, Sonic! I see you were able to join phase two of my plan." Eggman said as he watched Sonic from his monitors. "But let's see if you are able to handle this."

Eggman pushed a button on the computer board.

The eyes of Eggman robots flickered. They've been the order to attack! The mass army of robots descended upon Sonic like a combination of a tornado and a flood.

Sonic stood fast as they drew closer and closer before they piled on him from what seemed like every angle. Robots still continued to pile en masse, but before a yellow flash seeped out of the pile. Sonic broke free from the pile destroying most the mechs in the pile. The mechanical onslaught came to a brief pause. The battle, no, the slaughter was about to truly begin. Sonic was encircled.

The onslaught once again started and Sonic, undeterred and bravely, went headfirst in one area of the circle. Sonic rolled into a ball before boosting in the oncoming mechs. The first mech hit by Sonic's attack was torn through and Sonic begun his Light Speed Attack decimating, no, annihilating, the mechs attacking from that 30 degrees of the circle. From behind, the remaining mechs came in full tow. Sonic easily dodged the first mech's attack on him before effortlessly destroying it with one punch. But before he could react further, another mech attacked knocking Sonic in another mech's attack and then another.

Sonic was sent into a volley of attacks he recovered vehemently and destroyed the next mech in line for the volley. There was no time for Sonic to gather himself before having to force his body to battle.

'I can't give up just yet!' Sonic thought. He could feel his strength seeping away. This had to end now!

Again, the mechs piled on from every angle on Sonic. Sonic focused the power of Chaos. The mechs were mere inches from Sonic before he shouted: "Chaos Control!"

Eggman watched as his mechs were demolished one by one in an array of yellow streaks. Eggman stood unmoved as if expecting the events.

Sonic floated in a sea of debris looking onto the ARK. Sonic panted and winced in pain, but still he carried on. Sonic noticed that he was flickering in and out of his super form. Did he burn through too many of his rings? No. Sonic brought more than an ample supply of rings. He could feel it; his body was beginning to give out on itself. His time was coming to an end.

Even then, he pressed on…

Eggman waited with yet another attack squad of his mechs. Eggman heard crashes and explosions from further within the Ark. He coolly awaited Sonic's arrival.

Before long, an explosion shooting out not only parts of the wall, but pieces mechs as well. The smoke cleared revealing a drudging Super Sonic. His wounds from before seemed much worse accompanied by fresher wounds. Sonic had blood coming from the corner of his mouth and his wounds. He entered the room holding his arm and struggling to move.

The mechs were prepared to attack when Eggman signaled to relent. Eggman began to clap.

"Well done Sonic. I would expect nothing less from my nemesis." he said as he finished clapping. "However, you won't be stopping me this time." He finished arrogantly

Sonic sat unmoving as he listened to Eggman's victory rant. Eggman then pulled from his pocket a button.

"With just one press of this button, the Eclipse Cannon will be fired, primed and ready to fire multiple shots at the various capitals of the world-"

"-and thus…ushering in the Eggman Empire. Did I get that right?" Sonic interrupted as he fell to his knee in pain.

"You know me too well…" Eggman said in a flattered way. He primed himself to press the button.

"That's too bad…Egghead." Sonic said through a wince. Before Eggman could reply Eggman's monitor started to alert of an incoming object. Eggman quickly ignored his button.

"Alert! Alert!" the computer said. "Unidentified object approaching Ark in t-minus two minutes."

"What!?" Eggman exclaimed as he ran to the monitor to confirm. Sonic smirked just a bit.

"Eggman, I'm going to let you in on a secret." Sonic said tiredly.

Eggman turned back to Sonic.

"After your 'phase one', I knew I couldn't stop whatever you had in store next."

Eggman looked back to his monitor to see a precision missile coming to the Ark, but not just any missile, but a modified SM-3 more than capable to damage the ARK.

"T-minus one minute to impact"

"No…" Eggman said shocked. "No!" Eggman yelled as he slammed his fist into the computer board.

All he could hear was Sonic's weakening laugh. This infuriated Eggman that much more.

"Curse you Sonic the Hedgehog. Curse you!" Eggman shouted to his nemesis. "No! It doesn't matter! I still have this!"

Eggman once again presented his remote this time, actively pressing the button. But Sonic, with his remaining strength, dashed at Eggman knocking him down and forcing his remote out of his hand. The mechs quickly reacted and attack Sonic, but then the SM-3 made contact with the Ark interrupted the attack sending the mechs into the wall and deactivating them.

The Ark had taken severe damage and was beginning to collapse on itself.

Eggman attempted to scramble for the remote but in the violent shakes, lost it into the explosions. He looked to his nemesis and saw Sonic beginning to fall to the ground right in front of him. The time of Sonic the Hedgehog was passing. Sonic died with the same smirk he gave Eggman earlier. No, this smirk was different than the one from before. The first he gave was one of arrogance from outsmarting a foe.

This one, this one was one of a hero dying for the greater good. It was peaceful as if to embrace death. A smirk that says, 'I lived my life to its fullest.' He recalled the last words he said to his friends:

"_Amy." Sonic started tenderly "Never forget how much I loved you." He said with tears falling from his smiling face. He placed his hand on Amy's belly._

"_Sonic…" Amy said with a weakened voice as her tears fell. Sonic embraced her before giving his final kiss to his love. It was a fleeting, but passionate kiss. Amy placed her fingers to her lips before placing her hand over her heart._

"_Tails, I know you'll be a greater hero than I'll ever be or ever was." Sonic said as he placed his hand on Tails' head. Tails' tears felling down face drenching his fur on his mouth._

"_Sonic…I-I'm…not ready." Tails said between his hiccups. "Please…don't…don't…go."_

_Tails wrapped his arms around Sonic reluctant to let go. His eyes were begging Sonic to take him with him. But Sonic eyes tearfully rejected the fox's request._

_Sonic and Knuckles exchanged looks._

"_Take care of things here." Sonic eyes said._

"_I will." Knuckles teary eyes responded. _

Eggman exploded in anger, cursing Sonic's name amidst the destruction of Ark. Sonic saw his nemesis' anger as his vision blurred and his eyes closed welcoming the darkness to come. The explosions around him steadily grew faint until he heard silence. And with that the hero that was Sonic died.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Sonic's friends saw a small explosion in the night sky and then felt a familiar wind blow one last time before disappearing. Knuckles fell to his knees pounding at the ground in a blind furry of anger and sorrow. Amy fell to her knees in disbelief as her tears fell down her cheeks. Tails' could only stare while his mind raced to accept the reality in front of him.

"Damn it Sonic! You didn't need to sacrifice yourself!" Knuckles cried out as his tears he kept back began to flow freely.

"I…don't believe it…he's….g-gone." Amy said choking on her words.

Tails reached his hands out to the fading explosion. He fell to his knees hoping Sonic would be there to pick him off his knees like he always did. But there was nothing…

They were not the only ones to feel that wind. The whole world felt that familiar wind blow only to fade, never to be felt again as if to acknowledge the passing of a great hero.

Within months, a funeral was held honoring the passing of Sonic. The whole world stopped on that day to mourn. Monuments throughout the world were raised to honor his heroic deeds, but the one monument that stood unspoken, unsung was a tombstone that was placed in the Green Hill Zone sitting where Sonic's closest friends knew they could always find him. On it is written:

_Here lies Sonic the Hedgehog:_

_Leader, Mentor, Husband, Friend, and Hero_

_Most of all, a hedgehog that loved adventure and life._


	2. Hope

Sonic Chronicles: Hope

I remember that fateful day five years ago, but that day resounded in my memories like it all happened yesterday.

That fated day, Eggman won.

I remember he fired the Eclipse Cannon on each of the world capitals. Sonic couldn't stop him in time. I remember hearing that Sonic didn't escape from Eggman's base before it exploded with him in it. He managed to survive, but he was never the same after that.

People said, even to this day, Sonic wasn't as fast as he used to be. They said Sonic lost his drive. I couldn't blame him. I don't think there is a man or animal alive that would be normal after a near-death experience like that. We knew without doubt when Sonic was the first to try to defeat Eggman's forces, but he was defeated and captured. But for some reason, Eggman let Sonic go and Sonic was never heard from again. Eggman knew that Sonic wasn't a threat to him. That's when hope started to waver.

I remember G.U.N. organized an ill-fated counterattack. Eggman's forces easily decimated them. I remember there was a memorial of all the people involved. I remember there were hundreds that perished. I remember that Shadow was on that memorial. Shadow was someone I knew that didn't go down easy. I shudder at the thought of the pain Shadow and those men had to endure. That's when hope started to die.

I remember when Angel Island fell under Eggman's control. With the Master Emerald, Eggman would be unstoppable. Fear overcame the world and crippled nations. No one ever did find out what happened to Knuckles. Rumors spread that Knuckles died that day. Others say he served Eggman as a servant to harness the Master Emerald's power. No one really knew. That's when hope started to cry.

Tails was different however. He wanted to be like Sonic. He never gave up. Tails went underground and gathered anyone who wanted to resist. That day hope healed and got better.

But that medicine was short-lived and quickly became a poison.

The resistance was unable to gather itself before Eggman's attack. They resistance scattered without a single bullet fired. Without a single casualty reported. Hope cried again and grew sicker.

Tails, on the other hand, stood his ground and barely escaped with his life. He tried to hide, but those he thought were his allies easily gave him over to Eggman. Eggman made a spectacle of Tails by public torture. The last I saw of Tails he became mute and near lifeless. His beautiful orange fur was stained with dirt and dried blood. Wounds decorated his body ranging from simple cuts to bruised bones. The look in his eyes was depraved of any hope. That day hope was holding on by a thread.

One day, I said something I'd thought I'd never say: _I will fight!_ The words left my lips filled with a determination and passion I've never experienced before. I looked to my faithful chao who shared my feelings. I found my weapon. Hope was given a second wind.

I found my down-trodden fox friend and picked him up. He looked into my eyes and his eyes returned to life. Tails spoke once again with renewed vigor. I wouldn't let him give up again! This was a spark that I knew would grow into a raging flame.

After days of searching, we found Sonic. Sonic had become weak and paranoid. The mere utterance of Eggman or even the suggestion of fighting would send him into a panic. It took time before I found the words to break Sonic free from this state. I felt a faint, but familiar wind blow once more. Sonic was back! Though he was not the Sonic he was before, it was better than having no Sonic. Hope started to heal again.

We gathered every man and woman willing to fight. Seeing their heros return galvanized the newly-formed resistance. Knuckles returned that day adding to the fire. That day hope stopped crying.

Eggman's forces started to crumble in the face of resolve. Momentum took back Angel Island. Strength won us battle after battle. Hope no longer wavered.

And before it was all over, Eggman too fell along with his empire. After a long two years, the world rejoiced as hope was no longer a phantom.

I remember that day when Sonic became Sonic again. I remember that day when Knuckles came back to protect Angel Island. I remember that day when Tails once again followed Sonic. That day hope was fully restored.

As for myself, I, Cream the Rabbit, returned to my house in the woods with my Cheese. I went home expecting to remain an unsung hero. I never raised a gun. I never threw a punch. I didn't need the attention of hero. I was content with this role; after all, it wasn't anything special.

I opened my door to see a banner in the dark. I didn't need the lights on to see what was written on it. I closed the door behind myself as a tear fell from my cheek.

_Cream, The hope that would never die_

_Thank you_

_Sonic, Tails and Knuckles_

_6/11/14_


	3. Apparition

Sonic Chronicles: Apparition

I would run as fast as my legs would allow, but he would still catch me.

I tried to hide, but he would easily find me.

The nights were the worst. I felt my fear coil around me to the point of paralysis on some nights.

From the moment I closed my eyes, I could hear his accursed voice coursing through my mind. I would struggle to drown out his voice, but it would grow louder, louder, louder.

It forced my opens and I would see his silhouette looming over me. My heart sank in fear. His red-eyed gaze was deep and penetrating as if looking into my very soul. I felt myself suffocating in his presence.

_You're not real. You're not real! You're not real!_

Only then would I awaken in a sweat, my palms clammy and uneasy. My mind was shaken. My heart pounded against my chest ready to burst out.

He was still here. I know it! I feel him!

I cannot begin to count the nights I've endured this. Insomnia plagued me for months on end. I was at wit's end. I felt desperation begin to grasp me.

When was the last time I was able to rest in peace? Would the nightmare ever end?

I had to put an end to this sleepless hell! I knew I would go mad if I couldn't end it!

Daybreak came.

The light of day made my anxiety subside. I was able to collect my thoughts as best I could.

I went to the bathroom and saw the horrid sight that is me in the mirror.

I saw a black hedgehog, whose black fur was slowly losing its luster. I saw his tired red eyes that struggled to maintain eye contact. I saw Shadow the Hedgehog.

But am I Shadow; the _real_ Shadow?

Anxiety welled up inside me. I began to question myself.

Am I real? Am I some cheap imitation? Am I…am I…?

Darkness filled the room and I saw his piercing red eyes once more looking back at me.

_You're not real. You're not real. You're not real._ The phantom mocked. _Admit it! Admit it! Admit it! _He pressured on.

I cowardly retreated from the mirror, but he only inched closer with each step I took. He continued to repeat himself. I could no longer take it. Have I finally fallen into insanity?

_You're just a faker! The real Shadow died long ago!_

I've had it…

Before I knew it, the bathroom was in shambles and the darkness resided. Though the mirror was gone, I still felt his accursed gaze on me. I was against the wall shaking uncontrollably. I could no longer think clearly.

"I am Shadow. I am Shadow. I am Shadow." I said trying to convince myself.

But no matter how much I said it, the feeling that I'm some fake still gripped me.

I heard his voice echoing again mocking me.

_Are you really? Are you really?_

Was I the real Shadows the Hedgehog?

6/18/14


	4. Torn

Sonic Chronicles: Torn

Not a day goes by when I don't see her face. No! I can't think let these vile thoughts pollute my mind! I can't allow her to distract me from my mission!

And yet, her presence is enough to sap my strength. Her figure, her voice, everything about her was enough to drive me mad. She is a succubus plotting against you! Forget her!

A struggled with these feelings unsure what to do with them. How could I remain the guardian of something as precious as the Master Emerald and allow myself to be ensnared by a thief. A twister of emotions stirred inside me.

Something about that gleam in her eyes when she sees a precious gem makes me lose myself in thought. Something about her voice simply soothes me the point of submission. Something about her figure fills me with the desire to hold her within my arms. The thought of such an embrace…

I shook my head banishing the thought from my head.

"Why can't I get her out of my mind?" I asked myself aloud.

The sun was already setting over the horizon. It was like that every day since I met her. I would spend the day thinking about her while standing guard over the Master Emerald. It became a cycle I've become accustomed to. Though unfulfilling, it was the cycle I was in.

It was almost that time again.

The sun finally vanished and night took over. The moon was full tonight allowing me some vision for our encountered. But, I already knew how things would go before it even started.

Silence fell over Angel Island. I heard the sound of wings cutting through the air. I turned to see an all too familiar silhouette sitting atop the Master Emerald.

The slim, voluptuous figure in a black body suit, that white fur that seemed to shine with the moonlight, and those green eyes that I could lose myself in. It was none other than Rouge the Bat.

"Hello again, treasure hunter." She said playfully as she would always do. But something about her saying it was different to me. It was probably nothing.

"You've done a good job protecting _my_ emerald." Rouge continued tauntingly.

"Ha,that's a good one_ your _emerald?" I retorted as my blood started pumping.

And that's how it would start. We exchanged blow after blow as if we've rehearsed this fight. Our attacks met one another in equal measures. We knew one another's fighting style down to the very exact step we take before the attack. I was as if we were dancing in harmony with one another.

I couldn't recall how many times I've been in this cycle, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of…something. Harmony? Joy? Peace?

"Had…enough?" I said between pants.

"As…if." She replied between pants.

We stood face-to-face tired, but still ready to fight through the night with the Master Emerald behind us. I gazed into her eyes to see that gleam that I couldn't forget.

The stand-off was broken when she shot a wink at me. I felt my strength fade for a brief moment. Before I knew it, Rouge closed the distance between us. My strength returned right before she struck. I used her momentum to hold her in a dip. Something about the move seemed...staged.

We both paused unwilling to move. We gazed into each other's eyes. Only one other time have we looked this deep into each other's eyes. I could see her cheeks turn pink. I could hear my heart beat inside my head. It steadily grew louder. Was this some kind of sign?

Rouge closed her eyes as if expecting something to happen. My body acted on its own as I felt myself leaning in closer to her.

You can't! But yet I can't resist. Fool, you have a duty! Forget duty!

My mind and heart were in conflict. I couldn't move beyond halfway. No matter how hard I wanted it, my sense of duty and desire for her paralyzed me.

"You're hopeless." I heard Rouge say faintly.

She met me halfway and we met for a kiss. I've always imagined our lips meeting. I felt ecstatic, confused, conflicted, joyful, and a myriad of other emotions. The kiss was not what I expected, it was far better. Her soft, tender lips against mine couldn't be described in words.

We broke the kiss after what felt like hours and once again gazed into one another's eyes. Her eyes gleamed as if she's found a new gem. She gently broke free from my hold and started to walk away. I watched her every step, still as she left me, before she turned to face me again.

"If you wanted to kiss, all you had to do was ask." She said with a wink before she started flying

"Yeah…" I replied before falling to the ground. I wasn't able to say anything more than that.

"Next time, I'll be taking that emerald."

"Not while I'm still here!" I retorted angrily as I jumped to my feet.

She flew off into the night with a playful smile on her face. Somehow, I think my sense of duty and desire for that bat found balance that night. After all, I think she has a new gem she wants more than the Master Emerald.

6/25/14


	5. Empty

Sonic Chronicles: Empty

He finally did it. Years of planning, success, failure, all of it has finally led to this: the formation of the Eggman Empire. The empire he long desired had finally become reality.

It all started with the perfect trap; the trap that sealed Sonic's fate. Like most of his plans, Ivo expected the plan to fail in a fantastic manner that would lead to Sonic and him dueling once more and Sonic leaving as the victor, but this time Sonic didn't show up.

The trap worked to perfection and Sonic was no more. Surely this was some sort of ruse to lower his guard he thought. He waited patiently at base expecting Sonic to tear his forces asunder. But that never happened. He waited days on end expecting Sonic to appear when he least expected to stop him. But that never happened.

It wasn't until days later when the news broke that Sonic was confirmed dead. He couldn't believe what he heard! Surely this was a trick of some sort. He'll just play along with his trick and force Sonic's hand he thought. So without delay, he mobilized his forces en masse.

Within days, he conquered Station Square. In weeks, he conquered the country. Within months, he conquered continents. And finally, within years, the world was in his hand. Only once the world was his did he realize that it was no ruse. Sonic was assured dead his time long gone. As delighted as the king of the world would be, he couldn't help but feel...empty.

He's dedicated what felt like a life time to besting the blue nuisance to fulfil his dream. But with each defeat, he felt a new thrill, a new desire to come with something more dastardly, more menacing to best him. There was no question of the hatred he bore for the hedgehog, but he felt a certain respect towards him. He kept such things largely to himself for reasons he dare not speak.

With Sonic gone, resistance seems to lose it thrill. Were there none that could stop him? None to oppose him?

At first, there was Shadow. He was no doubt the closest thing Sonic by leaps and bounds. This brought delight to Robotnik. This proved not to be the case. Shadow stood no chance against Robotnik's legions of robots he made specifically to combat the late Sonic. Shadow's speed and power crumbled to before them. Ivo was not satisfied and allowed Shadow a second chance at stopping him, but Shadow folded to the challenge. As a show of power, Ivo casted him away to prison he constructed for those he saw fit.

Next came Knuckles. Though brave, fierce, and powerful, he lacked cunning and wit. He easily fell into traps that he set, but his tenacity brought him back time and time again to face him. For a time he felt that Knuckles could replace Sonic as his nemesis, but even Knuckles paled in comparison and was casted away to the prison with Shadow never to be heard from again.

Finally Tails. Though he lacked power, speed, and cunning, he made up for it in his prodigious talents with machines that even Ivo could overlook or mock. But he was mere boy filling a man's shoes. He sent his own machinations to combat Robotnik's. Though his were high in quality, Ivo had more than enough quantity to overcome the boy's quality. He quickly was captured and brought to Robotnik only to be sent away to the prison as well.

Soon, there were none that stood to oppose him. Ivo had snuffed out any will to oppose. The world was his to have.

Leaders of the countries came with offering by the plenty to find favor with the world emperor. He halfheartedly accepted the tribute and sent them on their ways with his demands for their complete and utter surrender.

Ten years passed since those days. Now the only authority of the world, Ivo surrounded himself with sycophants that praised his deeds for the sake of higher positions, which he gave loosely knowing that they held no real power in the scheme of things.

Ivo found himself at lavish ceremony celebrating yet another of his many victories. Ivo stood surrounded by the myriads of sycophants that praised everything he did. He felt no reason to entertain them. Age began to show on his mustache years prior, he greatly ignored the need to consider an heir. His time left was not worth much to consider. The drive he once knew died.

It wasn't until he heard a ruckus coming from beyond the room. Bullets were fired wildly and the sound of metal hitting the ground echoed loudly before things fell silent. The doors flew open as a wind filled the room blowing things down like a tornado. Once the wind settled, the attendees clamored with unrest as they saw a blue hedgehog lying nonchalantly on top of one of the tables staring down Ivo himself.

Ivo eyes opened wide as if seeing a ghost. But instead of dreading it, he almost felt excited to see it. He eyed the hedgehog noting his familiar quills and speed. Surely it wasn't... He was younger and his eyes burned with a youthful ambition and passion.

The guards scrambled to catch the intruder, but his superior speed allowed prevented his capture. Ivo's robot guards came to combat him, but the young hedgehog made quick work of them. Watching the hedgehog in action, Ivo felt something he hadn't felt in years.

"There's a new sheriff in town Egghead!" the young hedgehog taunted.

More robots came in to apprehend the intruder, but the hedgehog made his escape leaving the party attendees in awe save for Ivo himself. He laughed to himself before he laughed for all to hear. Confusion filled the room as they tried to fathom his reaction. Ivo took his leave of the ruined party with a new zest for life for he no longer felt empty.


	6. Origins

Sonic Chronicles: Origins

Fifty years ago, on space colony ARK, a top secret government project labeled Project Shadow was in effect. Though the researchers achieved the desired results in creating the ultimate weapon, G.U.N. saw the project as a threat and sought to shut it down and place it under a much more controlled watch.

An order was given that resulted in the lives of several researchers both young and old to be lost and labeled victims of an incident that happened on board. However, in the mayhem of screams and gunfire, a few researchers escaped with their lives taking whatever data they could carry and hid themselves away.

Roughly twenty years have passed since that day. Those researchers who escaped worked in secrecy to create their own variation of Project Shadow. Though they lacked the mind of Gerald Robotnik, they used what few resources and the data to craft their tool of vengeance.

Finally, years of work have finally paid off as they completed their task. They rejoiced now that their tool of vengeance was ready. But their victory would be short-lived.

The compound they retreated to was compromised! G.U.N. Soldiers swarmed the inside firing without hesitation. The researchers scrambled to get their weapon awake, but were unable to in the hail of bullets. Some took up guns they had and tried to defend themselves, but were mowed down. Those who fled her shot down without a second thought. It was simply a massacre as each man was gunned down with little to no effort.

One researcher, however, made it to the pod with their weapon. He went to the console and started pressing buttons on the console hoping to open it.

"You are our last hope for revenge!" the man said angrily.

But a shot to his side quelled his anger. His body fell on the console before falling off causing the pod to jet through the wall. The soldiers attempted to shoot the pod, but they were unable to find their mark as the pod made its escape.

Some miles way, the pod crashed in the middle of a green meadow. Its door opened as a cloud of steam dissipated into the air revealing a blue hedgehog. He exited the pod woozy and heavy as he wandered away from the pod without consideration of where he was. But what he did know was this: he loved to run.

And so he did.

Details of the incident were hidden from the light of day as the data was retrieved. As the years went on, the event became a distant memory and Project Shadow became classified to the public. The events concerning the second Project Shadow was labelled as a counter-terrorist operation and deemed success. The tumultuous media storm died down leaving the stories of these two events as afterthoughts to the everyday public.


	7. Freedom

Freedom

"You belong to me and me alone, bat!" he would always tell me. His tone was always harsh and possessive empty of any concern for my being. I was just a tool for his needs expendable and easily replaced. Despite that, I did his bidding.

I was an orphan, destined to be invisible and alone. I wondered the large city struggling to survive. I was five years of age when I met him.

He wasn't father. Never was I to address him as such nor did I feel the need to. He gave me no real name, but a title: Altair. He saw something in me that no one else saw in me: worth, value, and meaning. I was too young to know what I agreed to when I meekly followed him back to his lair.

I was eight years of age. I learned that Altair had amassed others like me. He trained us to be his hands for thieving and his other dirty deeds. I was one of twenty or so others who were lost and forgotten. We were cut from the same cloth, but I never saw them as family nor they of me. He had us fight one another to strengthen us; I was the runt of the group and easily found myself crying for mercy and begging for Altair to save me.

"So you wish to cry, bat?" he said angrily. He grabbed me by arm and took me to a back room. His grip was strong and threatening. I begged for him to let go and I promised not to cry again, but he was set to administer his punishment. I bit his arm and tried to fly away, but that's when I learned he indeed lived up to his name. He took me back kicking and screaming. That's when he did the most heinous of acts: he clipped my wings.

"Be fortunate that I was so merciful, bat."

I was fourteen years of age. I was a refined thief, leagues above the others. Altair smiled at my ability to enter and leave a building stealthily. I brought back treasures after treasures for him. I bore a deep hatred for him. I was trapped in his cage unable to fly away less he catch me once more. Thought I hated him, I was tragically dependent on him.

But there came a day unlike any other that I'd remember.

I was sent to steal a precious gem from a high security palace. I was the most able and I was sent in alone. The security was no challenge to me as I infiltrated without difficulty or worry. I was prepared, molded to do these things. The night veiled my presence as I remained a whisper in the night.

That's when I saw it.

It was a beautiful red emerald. I've never seen anything like it. It gleamed beautifully and elegantly. I saw my reflection in it. Only a few times have I seen myself, but I saw something different in this. I was no longer saw just a tool to be used for another's end. I realized in that reflection I was stronger and more powerful than that little bat taken in by that fiend. This emerald was far too good for him. I left just as quietly as I entered with a renewed conviction in my heart.

"Where is my emerald, bat!?" he yelled. I didn't respond to his demand. He repeated the sentence once again with even greater anger, but I remained silent.

"You will speak, by will or by force!"

He foolishly raised his hand to strike me. Before even I realized it, I twisted his arm behind his back forcing him against the wall. He screamed in pain and he twisted his arm even harder. He trained me far too well. By the time I was done with him, he was no longer a hunting eagle.

For the first time in my life, I felt truly free and independent. I stretched my wings and flew off into the night never to be caged again.

No longer was I simply 'bat' but I was Rouge, like the color of that emerald.


End file.
